Book mailing folder



April 20, 1965 Filed Sept. 12, 1962 R. H. JOHNSON BOOK MAILING FOLDER T 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 United States Patent 3,179,325 BOOK MAILING FOLDER Richard H. Johnson, Arlington Heights, Ill., assigror to Stone Container Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 223,225 9 Claims. (Cl. 229-40).-

.In said co-pending application, there was described and claimed a shipping folder or carton for a book or like article-which was formed from a single blank of foldable material, such as, corrugated paperboard. Said shipping folder comprised an open-ended sleeve formed of a pair of rectangular panels spaced apart in parallel relationship -so that the-article could be disposed between said panels. The panelshad apair of opposite ends or edges which were interconnected by a pair of relatively flexible 7 end webs. and further, the panels had a second pair of opposite edges which were interconnected by flap members. The webs each had two parallel foldsto provide two outer web strips anda third web strip intermediate said two outer web strips. The outer strips of each web made a hinged connection with the said panel edges or ends and the medial or third strip of each web was ar ranged to be collapsed inwardly as the panels were moved toward one another to form a-square pleat along a pair of opposite sides of the folder. The flaps previously mentioned were intended to be secured together preferably by adhesive. The end web construction. required the use of adhesive or an adhesive tape member for closing or sealing the folder. with the article therein. The

use of adhesive tape member to close off one of the webs structure of said co-pending application, and additional advantagesarising from novel features of the book ing folder of the herein invention. it i It. is an important object of the invention to provide a book mailing folder of thecharacter described which is formed from a single paperboard blank adapted to provide said end webs for the book folder but which mailarticles such as books;

3,179,325 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 become apparent from the disclosure thereof which ensues. A preferred embodiment of the invention as well as a modified form thereof have been described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is contemplated that minor variations in the herein invention may occur to the skilled artisan without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings, wherein the same reference characters have been employedto identify substantially identical or equivalent parts throughout the several figures thereof:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of one embodiment of the book mailing folder of the invention and showing the releasably secured end web portion of the folder having said locking flap means integrally formed therewith. i i

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and in the direction indicated generblank from which the book mailing folder of FIG. 1

is adapted to be assembled.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modi fied form of the book mailing folder embodying the in vention, portions being broken away to show structural details.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 and in the direction indicated generally.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end web portion of the folder of FIG. 5 in partial assembly.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of an integral blank from which the folder of FIG. 5 is adapted to be assembled; 7

Referring now to FIGS. 14, reference character 10 designates generally a mailing carton or folder embodying the invention. As will appear subsequently herein, the end of the carton 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 ha the unique locking flap means associated with the end web formation or wall shown and which, is collapsible as disclosed in said co-pending application. The precise nature of the article or articles packaged in the carton or folder 10 may vary considerably, however, considerable success has been achieved using the carton 10 for Said carton or folder 10 is comprised of a rectangular sleeve formed of a' suitable paperboard material having a pair of parallel walls 14 and 16 forming the top and bottom Walls respectively of the folder, opposite end walls such as end wall 18 and opposite side walls such as side wall 19. Each of the end walls 18 is recessed or offset inwardly relative to the in addition, eliminates the need for using an adhesive tape member for releasably securing the container in closed condition or for interconnecting large surface areas of juxtaposed parts by means of adhesive.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a book mailing folder of the character described in which said end webs have locking flap means integrally formed there- The foregoing and other objects of the invention will corners 20 of the sleeve and is hingedly associated with the walls 14 and 16 along said corners 20 so asto permit collapse of the carton into an end' wall structure that I may be characterized as an inwardly collapsing pleat. The folder can be assembled to a'preliminary stage wherein at least one of the side or end walls thereof is formations could form the side walls of the sleeve and the end closure members could be provided by the flap means. According to this invention, however, the sleeve' is first formed by interengagement of the flap means.

The recessed or inwardly collapsible offset end. Walls 18.

of this invention are intended to provide the end closure means for the sleeve so as to engage an article such asa book located in the carton with said article protected by the outwardly protruding corners 20 of the sleeve during mailing or shipment of the package 10.

ment.

As thus generally described, the package 18 of the herein invention corresponds to the package of said copending application in that there is provided a rectangular sleeve or carton having a pair of collapsible end wall or web, structures that may be characterized as a square pleat, and the packaged article will be protected during shipment or mailing of the folder 10 by reason of the protruding corners 20, and with the article prevented from undue shifting by the recessed or inwardly offset end walls 18.

Referring to FIG. 4, the carton 10 preferably can be assembled from a simple, integral sheet or blank 24 of paperboard material, such as corrugated board, pressed board or the like which may be stamped or die-cut advantageouslyfrom a continuous web of sheet material passed at high speed through automatic punch press equip- Blank 24 is comprised of a pair of rectangular panels 26 and 28 of substantially identical size. The panels 26 and 28 are conjoined end to end by an end wall or web formation 30 which is comprised of three strips 32, 34 and 36, connected side by side. The strips 32 and 36 are substantially identical in width and can be narrower than the strip 34, the strip 34 being located between the outer strips 32 and 36 and connected to adjacent edges thereof along fold lines 38 which are parallel and extend transversely across the blank 24. Each strip 32 and 36 is hingedly connected to a panel 26 and 28 respectively, along the fold lines 40. Considering the length of the blank 24 to be from left to right in FIG. .4, the width of wall portion 30 is less than the width of a panel 26 or 28. Each panel 26 and 28 is notched at the corner 42 thereof adjacent the connection of said panel with the end wall formation 30. Likewise, the panel 28 has a reduced width portion 43 (vertically considered in FIG.'4) which extends to the right hand end of the blank 24 as viewed in FIG. 4. Thus, panels 26 and 28 can be considered to be connected end to end along folds Why the end web 30.

Secured along the edge 44 of panel 26 o posite fold thereof is an end web' or wall formation designated generally 48 and which is substantially identicalto the end web or-Wall formation 30. Thus, the formation 48 has three strips 58, 52 and 54 conjoined by parallel folds 56. The strips and 54 are substantially identical in width and can be narrower than the strip 52, the strip 52 being located between the outer strips 50 and 54.v

Secured to the'end 58 of said formation 48 opposite the fold or edge 44 is a locking or 'closure flap 60, the locking or closure flap 68 being joined to said edge- 58 by a fold 62. The flap 60 has wing portions 64 conjoined to opposite. side edges thereof by the lines of fold 66 respectively. The closure flap 60 is generally similar in width (vertically in FIG. 4) to the'panels 26 and 28 but considerably'more narrow (horizontally in FIG. 4) than said panels. Thus, as seen in 'FIG. 4, the closure flap 60 is on the end of said blank 24 opposite to the reduced width portion 43 which may be considered an extension of panel 28 and further, the flap 60 is substantially equal in width to the portion 43 of panel 28.

The panel 26 has a pair of side flaps 68 respectively hinged along opposite longitudinal edges 70 thereof, said side flaps 68 each being generally of the same width asthewidth of strips 34 and 52. The side flaps 68 extend continuously between opposite notched corners 42 and 42'. of the panel 26. j

The panel 28 has a pair of side flaps 72' respectively hinged along opposite longitudinal edges '74 thereof, said flaps 72 each being generally of the same width as the width of strips 34 and 52. The side flaps 72 extend continuously from notched corners 42 to the reduced width portion 43 of the panel 28. As a result, the outer edges 76 of the extension 43 are spaced inwardly of the hinge of foldlines 74 by a'slight amount. Noteworthy is the fact that panel portion or extension 43 does not have 4 side flap formations attached thereto, hence, flaps 72 do not extend the entire length of panel 28.

The side flaps 68 have been shown with rounded corners and the side flaps 72 each have one corner thereof rounded but this is not necessary for achieving the advantages of the invention.

The carton 10 is assembled by selective folding of the blank 24 and securing certain portions thereof together, as will now be explained. Initially, the blank 24 can be folded transversely and in the same direction along fold lines 40 and 44, for instance, to. superimpose the panels 26 and 28 one over the other and to bring the closure or locking flap 60 in close proximity to the portion 43 of the panel 28. Thus, the panel 28 becomes the top wall 14 and the panel 26 becomes the bottom wall 16 of the carton. By moving the panels 26 and 28 one toward the other, the end web formation 30 can be collapsed inwardly to dispose the center strip 34 inwardly of the end corners of the carton. The end web 30 will pivot on the fold lines 40 so. that the strip 32 will be arranged juxtaposed and above the panel 26 and the strip 36 will be arranged juxtaposed and below the panel 28. The side flaps 68 and 72 can be secured together by bringing them together face to face with the side flaps 68 on the outside} The flaps 68 and 72 can be secured together by suitable means such as adhesive.

At this point it should be appreciated that the blank 24 has been folded into an open-ended container or pocket. The top edge of the pocket is the right-hand edge of extension 43 in FIG. 4 and the bottom of the pocket has a hinged formation connected on' fold 44 which comprises the parallel parts to the left of fold 44 in FIG. 4. One may picture this condition by rotating the strips 58, 52 and 54 with flap 60 and its wings 64 of FIG. 2 counterclockwise about lower edge 20. In use, a book will be inserted into the open pocket and the package closed as shown in FIG. 2 and described below.

To close the container with an article therein, the article such as a book can be inserted through the end of the carton opposite the end web 30 which has been folded to closing position between the panels 26 and 28. The end web formation 48 then can be tucked inwardly between the panels 26 and 28 so that the middle strip 52 is inserted inwardly past corners 20, as seen in FIG. 2. The strip 58 will be arranged juxtaposed and below the wall 28while the strip 54 will be juxtaposed and above the panel 26. The wings 64 on the closure flap 68 are folded inwardly toward one another and substantially at right angles to the flap 60 and thereafter, the closure flap 60 is pivoted on the fold line 58 so that the wings 64 can be inserted into elongated slots on opposite sides of the end web 48. As seen in FIG. 1, the slots 80 are provided by reason of set back edges 76 of extension 43 of panel 28. Thus, the wings 64 can be inserted in the slots 80 with each wing 64 abutting a side flap 72. The closure flap 60 is arragned in face to face contact with the panel 28 and overlying the same, that is to say, the closure flap is engaged on the exterior surface 60 of the top wall 28 of the carton. The wings 6 4 further may be secured in the slots 80 by providing an ad hesive on the outside face of the wings 64 or the inside surface of each of the flaps 68. It will be noted from FIG. 1 that since the flap 68 is longer than the flap 72, there will be provided an end portion 81 of said flap 68 which protrudes beyond the flap 72 and provides a surfacev engaging the wings 64. The fit. of the wings 64 into the slots 80 can be such a tight one so that no further securement means such as adhesive need be used. In any event, the package It] is easily opened by pivoting the closure flap 60 outwardly, as shown, to the dotted line position 82 thereof in FIG. 1. In this type of movement, the flaps 64 will be withdrawn from the slots 80 so that the entire end closure or web 48 can be pulled outwardly from between the panels 26 and 28. The package 10, therefore, embodies all of the advantages of the mailing and practice the same.

5 folder of said co-pending application, but does not require the use of adhesive tape to seal the end closure 48.

If flaps 64 and 68 are glued together as a security measure, although not essential, the package is opened simply by slitting the folds 66 or severing them along weakened portions and lifting the closuretfiap 60 and pulling the pleat 48 endwise out of the tube. The package may be reused by securing fiap'60 to panel 26 in any desired manner. I

Referring to FIGS. 5 through 8, a modified form of the invention is illustrated, the integral blank from which the modified carton designated generally 10A is formed, being identified by the reference character 24A. Portions of the modified blank 24A equivalent to blank 24 will be identified by like reference characters but including the alphabetical character assigned to the particular modified form.

The blank 24A in FIG. 8 is comprised of a pair of end to end connected panels 26A and 28A. The panel 28A differs from the panel 28 of blank 24 by virtue of the omission from panel 28A of the reduced width portion 43 provided in panel 28. The panel 26A has side flaps 68A and the panel 28A has side flaps 90 which are identical to side flaps 68A. Thus, the side flaps 90 extend the entire length of the panel 28A. The panels 26A and 28A are connected by an end wall or web formation 30A identical to end Wall formation 30 f blank 24. The panel 28A has an end web formation 92 hinged thereto along seoreline 94, the formation 92 having a pair of transverse parallel score lines 96 dividing the end web 92 into three strips 97, 98 and 99. The inner strip 97 and outermost strip 99 are identical and the strip 98 is located between the two strips and normally is wider. Also, the strip 98 is similar in Width (vertically) to the flaps 68A and 90. Secured to the opposite ends of the strip 99 are a pair of L shaped tongues or flaps 100, the tongues being spaced from the lateral edges 102 of the end web 92 and having the long leg 104 thereof extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blank 24A.

The folder 10A assembled from the blank 24A is shown partially in FIGS. 7. The panel 26A has become the top wall 14A and the panel 28A is the bottom wall of 16A of the carton A. The end flap or end web formation 102 has become the end wall 18A seen in FIGS. 5 and 7. It will be noted that the center strip 98 forms the recessed end wall and the strips 97 and 99 are juxtaposed the top and bottom walls respectively of the carton 10A. The L-shaped Wings 100 are folded at a right angle and downwardly relative to the strip 99 so that the leg 104 is juxtaposed relative to the flap 90 and sandwiched between said flap 90 and side flap 68A. Flaps 68A and 90 can be adhesively secured together and flaps 68A and 100 likewise can be'adhesively secured together to form a positive end closure 18A from the end web formation 92. It may be noted that no taping of the end closure 18A is required.

To open the carton 10A, it is necessary merely to separate the wing 104 from the flap 68A by a knife or similar instrument so that the strip 99 with the wing 100 attached thereto can be lifted from between the top and bottom walls, that is, pulled outwardly from walls 14A and 16A. Alternatively, the hinge line 106 resulting from bending wing 100 relative to strip 99 as seen in FIG. 5, can be severed by a knife or other sharp instrument thereby freeing outermost strip 99 from end wing 100 and permitting the end web formation 92 to be drawn outwardly from between the top and bottom walls of the carton 10A.

It is believed that the invention has been described in sutficient detail to enable the skilled artisan to understand The invention has been pointed out carefully and the claims hereto appended in language intended to be broadly construed commensurate with the contribution with the arts and sciences made thereby.

What it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A shipping folder for a book or similar article, comprising a normally open-ended container adapted to have the open ends closed upon the article inserted therein, and the container being formed of first and second rectangular panels adapted'to be spaced one from the other in parallel relation to accommodate such article therebetween, said open ends of the container having formations adapted to be closed upon the article, each of said first and second panels having parallel side edges and end edges so that there are pairs of such adjacent edges on the sides and ends of the container, the side edges being provided with hinged flaps, the flaps of said first panel being coextensive with. the side edges thereof, the flaps. of said second panel extending from one end edge and terminating short of said other end edge, the flaps of each pair of adjacent side edges adapted to-be overlapped and connected, with the flaps of the first panel outermost, to form the closed sides of the container, each formation being of inwardly collapsing pleat construction, one formation being hingedly connected to and extending between one pair of adjacent end edges of said first and second panels, and the other formation being hingedly connected to one end edge of the other pair of adjacent end edges being adapted to be secured to the second end edge of said last-mentioned pair of adjacent end edges when the article is enclosed, said other formation having lateral extension flaps hingedly connected thereto respectively adapted to be swung downwardly to be frictionally engaged between the outermost of the opposite ones of said overlapped flaps and one of said rectangular panels and abutting the edges of the innermost flaps, to frictionally lock said other formation in closed condition.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said panel with which said extension flaps are engaged has a slightly lesser width adjacent said container end to which said other formation is adapted to be secured whereby to provide narrow slots for the insertion of said extension flaps.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the said other formation comprises three parallel hingedly con nected strips, one being connected'to said one end edge of the said other pair and the other two strips being attached in that order with the third strip normally free, but adapted to be secured as aforesaid.

4. A structure as claimed in claim 3 in which the lateral extension flaps are connected to said third strip.

5. A structure as claimed in claim 3 in which there is a closure flap connected with the third strip adapted to overly the said one rectangular panel when the container is closed.

6. A structure as claimed in claim 5 in which the lateral extension flaps are secured to the closure flap.

7. A shipping folder for a book or similar article, comprising a normally open-ended container adapted to have the open ends closed upon the article inserted therein, and the container being formed of first and second rectangular panels adapted to be spaced one from the other in parallel relation to accommodate such article therebetween, said open ends of the container having formations adapted to be closed upon the article, each of said first and second panels having parallel side edges and end edges so that there are adjacent edges on the sides and ends of the container, the side edges being provided with hinged flaps, the flaps of said first panel being coextensive with the side edges thereof, the flaps of said second panel extending from one end edge and terminating short of said other end edge, the flaps of each pair of adjacent side edges adapted tobe overlapped and connected, with the flaps of the first panel outermost, to form closed sides of the container, each formation having two parallel folds to provide two outer strips and a median strip, one formation having the outer strips hingedly connected to respective adjacent end edges of one pair of such end edges, and the second formation having one outer -strip hingedly connected to one end edge ofthe other pair of adjacent end edges, and the remaining outer strip of the said second formation adapted to be secured to the second edge of said other pair of adjacent edges when the article is enclosed, said second formation having laterally extending closure flap means hingedly connected thereto respectively adapted to be swung downwardly to be frictionally engaged by the outermost of the opposite ones of said overlapped rectangular panels and abutting the edges of the innermost flaps, to frictionally lock said second formation in closed condition.

8. The article as claimed in claim 7 wherein said flap means comprises a pair of oppositely disposed elongated leg portions hingedly secured to said remaining outer strip. v

9. The article as claimed in claim 7 wherein said flap a 8 means comprises a locking flap having oppositely disposed wing formations, said locking flap being hingedly secured to the said remaining outer strip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,254,692 1/18 Hofrnan 22937 1,509,383 9/24 Walter 229-44 X 1,530,643 3/25 Blandford 229-44 2,778,559 1/57 Boitel Q. 22940 3,055,574 9/62 Johnson 229-40 FOREIGN PATENTS 165,270 1/ 55 Australia.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. SHIPPING FOLDER FOR A BOOK OR SIMILAR ARTICLE, COMPRISING A NORMALLY OPEN-ENDED CONTAINER ADAPTED TO HAVE THE OPEN ENDS CLOSED UPON THE ARTICLE INSERTED THEREIN AND THE CONTAINER BEING FORMED OF FIRST AND SECOND RECTANGULAR PANELS ADAPTED TO BE SHAPED ONE FROM THE OTHER IN PARALLEL RELATION TO ACCOMMODATE SUCH ARTICLE THEREBETWEEN, SAID OPEN ENDS OF THE CONTAINER HAVING FORMATIONS ADAPTED TO BE CLOSED UPON THE ARTICLE, EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PANELS HAVING PARALLEL SIDES EDGES AND END EDGES SO THAT THERE ARE PAIRS OF SUCH ADJACENT EDGES ON THE SIDES AND ENDS OF THE CONTAINER, THE SIDE EDGES BEING PROVIDED WITH HINGED FLAPS, THE FLAPS OF SAID FIRST PANEL BEING COEXTENSIVE WITH THE SIDE EDGES THEREOF, THE FLAPS OF SAID SECOND PANEL EXTENDING FROM ONE END EDGE AND TERMINATING SHORT OF SAID OTHER END EDGE, THE FLAPS OF EACH PAIR OF ADJACENT SIDE EDGES ADAPTED TO BE OVERLAPPED AND CONNECTED, WITH THE FLAPS OF THE FIRST PANEL OUTERMOST, TO FORM THE CLOSED SIDES OF THE CONTAINER, 